


I Got You!

by Superhero_Obsessed21



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Anxiety Attacks, Family, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-03
Updated: 2019-09-03
Packaged: 2020-10-06 08:53:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20504261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Superhero_Obsessed21/pseuds/Superhero_Obsessed21
Summary: The Man in Yellow has returned.I place this somewhere in the middle of Season 1 episode 9





	I Got You!

Barry was a grown man.  
That’s what Joe has been telling himself for 2 hours now. He knew Barry had a lot on his plate lately, and he knew that he himself had put extra stress on him when he asked Barry not to tell Iris about his speed, but he still hadn’t expected to watch Barry come undone right in front of his eyes the way he just had.  
The man in the yellow suit was back. Joe knew he was, but he was afraid to tell Barry after the man had threatened to kill Iris.  
Barry had been at CCPD not more than 3 hours ago when he saw and chased the Man in Yellow around Central City. The encounter didn’t go so well for Barry. He had been beaten down and humiliated by the man whom he knew was responsible for killing his mother.  
When Barry returned home after being treated at Star Labs for his cuts, he was visibly shaken. He had said he was fine, he just needed some time alone to relax. Joe had respected his Foster Son’s wishes and left the house to pick Iris up at the news paper. When they arrived home they found Barry in the middle of what seemed to be a serious anxiety attack.  
When Barry first came to live with Joe he had been prone to the occasional bought of anxiety, but they had been nothing like what he was witnessing right now.  
When Joe and Iris got home they found Barry sitting on the floor with his head tucked into his knees gasping for air. Iris started to move towards him, but Joe stopped her. Joe was a cop and he had trained for this type of situation.  
Joe had walked over and nailed down beside Barry. He touched him softly trying to get Barry’s attention.  
Son, Joe tried, but nothing besides the desperate gasps for air came from Barry. Joe moved over to the front of Barry and started to lightly run his hand over his head. It’s ok Barry. You’re safe. You’re home with me, with Iris. That seemed to at least get his attention. When he looked up, Joe looked sadly at his tear soaked face.  
You’re safe, he repeated again. You’re home with me, with Iris. I can’t breathe he choked out. Yes you can Barry. Follow me. Joe put a hand on each one of Barry’s arms. You ready, he asked. Barry nodded. Breath in, he took a deep breath in, and then breath out. He let the breath out slowly. Now you Barry. He had stopped gasping for air now, but he was still struggling. Come on Bar. In and out. It took some coaxing, but finally he started to follow Joe’s direction and the air began to return to his lungs. When he finally came back to reality, Joe helped him up onto the coach. Barry was still crying uncontrollably. Joe didn’t say anything. He sat down next to him, wrapped his arms around Barry and engulfed him in a hug. Barry cried into his shoulder for a good five minutes. When he calmed down, Joe tried to get him to open up about why he was  
such a reck at the moment, but he said that he was too exhausted to talk and left to his room.  
Iris looked at her father, her eyes saying go after him dad, but Joe didn’t go. Barry’s a grown man Iris. If he wants privacy, I have to give it to him.

So that’s where they are now. Sitting in the living room, listening to the soft crying coming from Barry’s room two hours later. 

Iris and Joe were now sitting at the table eating dinner. He’s pretty upset, Iris said. He is, Joe agreed. I’ve never see him like this before dad. Do you know what happened to him? Is it work related.  
I don’t know, and I don’t think so Iris. He did visit Henry tonight. You know that sometimes that can trigger an emotional response.  
Yeah, but not like this, she said.  
He’s got a lot on his plate right now Iris. Don’t forget, he also woke up from a nine month coma a little over two months ago.  
It’s been a year today dad. The accident I mean. It took Joe a second to take that in. 

He should have been running; chasing down the man in yellow, but instead he was laying in bed starring at the ceiling. His mind was racing and his chest felt tight. He knew he had to calm himself down, but the harder he tried, the worse he felt. He was responsible for his dad being in prison now. He had the chance to catch the man in yellow tonight, but he had failed. It’s his fault that his dad is still in there. In prison, wrongly accused of a crime that he didn’t commit.  
He didn’t even hear the knock on his bedroom door.  
Barry, Iris peaked in. I brought you dinner. He didn’t answer. She could hear that he was starting to hyperventilate again. She walked in his room, put the food tray down on his dresser and walked to the side of the bed. His tears were still free flowing and his eyes were gazed over. Barry, she held onto his forearm. When he looked over at her, without saying a word, he pulled her to him, tucked his head into her chest and started balling. She didn’t speak, she just held him tight, stroking his hair. They stayed like that for a good ten minutes before he broke the hug.  
Thank you Iris, he whispered. Thank you for being here, he sniffled. Of course Barry. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. He felt a little better now, he really did. It was something about Iris’s presence that calmed him down, it always had, no matter how bad he felt. She could tell he was looking better and she knew it would do her no good to ask him what was wrong, so instead she would just stay where she was, be there with him, for him. Are you hungry, she asked. He was of course.  
She got up and grabbed the tray she had brought up with her. I thought you would be she said handing him the food.  
He ate slow at first, he had been crying and upset for quite a while now, he knew going fast would not end well. Iris stayed right there by his side. She told him about her day, there were some pretty interesting things happening at Picture News lately. She kept it light but entertaining enough to keep his attention. When he finished his plate he laid back down. This time though, he rolled onto his side facing Iris. He put his hand on hers and closed his eyes. She stroked his hair, reassuring him she was there. Once he was asleep, Iris gave him a kiss on his forehead, grabbed the food tray with his empty plate and headed downstairs.  
How did it go, Joe asked. He’ll be ok dad. He’s got us you know. And we have him, Joe said embracing his daughter. Yes we do dad, yes we do, as she hugged her dad even tighter now.

**Author's Note:**

> Lots of fluff ❤️


End file.
